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Winners and losers of NBA’s regular-season finales: Bracket breaks nicely for Rockets and Cavaliers

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The 2025-26 NBA regular season is officially in the books. With the Play-In Tournament set to begin Tuesday and the first round of the playoffs on Saturday, here’s a look at the matchups and series schedules that we know so far. Before we get to that, let’s take a look back at the final day of the season and suss out the winners and losers in terms of how it all shook out.

Winner: Houston Rockets

Three weeks ago, everyone in the West wanted to play the Rockets in the first round. They looked broken, and the Lakers were firing on all cylinders. Oh, how things have changed. Now the Rockets have nine of 10 heading into the playoffs, and they get the banged-up Lakers in the first round. L.A. is going to be playing without Austin Reaves and likely Luka Dončić for the duration of the series. 

It could have gone another way. Had the Spurs beaten the Nuggets on Sunday, which they had incentive to do (we’ll touch on this below), the Rockets would’ve had to play Denver in the first round. Getting the Lakers sans Doncic and Reaves instead is a gift from the basketball gods. 

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2026 NBA playoff bracket: Matchups, schedule with postseason field finalized

Brad Botkin

2026 NBA playoff bracket: Matchups, schedule with postseason field finalized
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Loser: New York Knicks

This is by no means the Knicks fault, but they would’ve rather played the Raptors in the first round. Instead, they’ll get the Hawks, who lost to Miami on Sunday to fall to No. 6 in the East bracket. Atlanta is one of the hottest teams in the league. Trae Young isn’t around anymore, but the 2021 series isn’t forgotten. Since the All-Star break, the Hawks are making 15 3-pointers per game, fifth most in the league, while the Knicks are bottom-10 in 3-point defense. It will be a major factor in this series, which I expect the Knicks to win, but it may not be nearly as easy as you would like a first-round series to be. 

Winner: Cleveland Cavaliers

If the Knicks are losers for having to face the Hawks in the first round, then it stands to reason that the Cavs are winners for not having to. Instead, the Cavs get Toronto (no disrespect, but the Raptors are the weakest playoff team in the East) while also ending up on the opposite side of the bracket from the Celtics, the best team in the East with Jayson Tatum back and trending up every game. So now, if seeds hold, New York and Boston have to play each other in the second round while Cleveland is looking at Toronto-Detroit in the first two rounds. Detroit is no cakewalk, but that’s a cleaner path to the conference finals.

Loser: San Antonio Spurs

After Victor Wembanyama played on Friday night, I really thought the Spurs would go the extra mile and play him again against Denver in the season finale. There was a lot at stake. Had San Antonio beaten the Nuggets, Denver would’ve fallen to No. 4 in the West, which would’ve meant a second-round series vs. OKC if chalk is to hold. For the Spurs, forcing OKC and Denver to battle it out and only have to potentially play one of them in the playoffs would’ve been a big deal. Instead, the Spurs sat Wemby, lost to Denver, and now are likely going to have to defeat Denver and OKC in consecutive rounds in order to make the Finals. 

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Winner: Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers headed into Sunday needing a win over the Kings to secure the No. 8 seed, and they got it. This isn’t going to register on the national radar — a barely-.500 team making the Play-In Tournament. Who cares, right? Well, No. 8 is a lot different than No. 9. It means the Blazers, instead of having to win two straight play-in games, now have two chances to win one to get into the playoffs. 

The Blazers almost certainly won’t get out of the first round if they make the playoffs, but it’s important for a team building through a young core to get some payoff for a positive season and feel the heat of the playoffs first-hand. They still have to beat the Suns, or if they lose that one, the Warriors or Clippers to get there, but again, two shots is better than one and they gave themselves that with the win on Sunday. 

Winner: Milwaukee Bucks

Doc Rivers is reportedly out as Milwaukee’s coach, which doesn’t necessarily mean Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to stay but it can’t hurt with the sales pitch. Giannis has already taken thinly veiled shots at Rivers by way of publicly admiring Joe Mazzulla’s no-excuse approach, and it feels fair to say that had Milwaukee been tone deaf enough to run it back with Rivers next season, it would’ve been very hard to sell Giannis on the idea that things are going to turn around with the same old leadership. Chances are the Giannis era is over anyway. But this is at least a step in the direction of growth. 

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Doc Rivers out as Bucks head coach after 50-loss season, and more changes could be coming in Milwaukee

Sam Quinn

Doc Rivers out as Bucks head coach after 50-loss season, and more changes could be coming in Milwaukee
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Loser: Orlando Magic

This has not been Orlando’s season, but, coming into Sunday, they still had a chance at a guaranteed playoff berth with a win over the Celtics. True, they also needed Toronto to lose to Brooklyn, which was a super long shot and ultimately didn’t happen, but Orlando, playing at full strength, wasn’t even able to hold up its end of the bargain in losing to a Celtics team that basically ran out a G-League squad. 

Even with the Toronto win, the Magic could’ve secured the No. 7 seed with a win of their own, which, in the play-in era, has been as good as a guaranteed playoff spot. All No. 7 seeds have made the playoffs in the Play-In Tournament era. But now the Magic fall to No. 8 and have to play the 76ers on the road. If they lose that, there’s a good chance they face the Hornets, who have been one of the best teams in the league for some time, in a do-or-die play-in game. 

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Every PGA tour winner this year chose this piece of gear

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Tyson Fury makes it clear whether he’ll face Moses Itauma if Joshua fight fails

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Tyson Fury got back to winning ways this weekend and is now looking to keep active for the remainder of 2026, eyeing up a clash with Anthony Joshua.

Should that fight not happen, fans are sure to clamour for a showdown between Fury and Moses Itauma, and ‘The Gypsy King’ has shared his thoughts on that proposed scrap.

Fury comfortably outboxed Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to register a first victory since 2023, before making a beeline for perennial rival Joshua during the post-fight interview and demanding their long-awaited fight.

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However, with Joshua still on the mend after his tragic car crash, the two-time world champion was reluctant to agree to a fight on the spot, seemingly unwilling to deviate from plans to first have a warm-up fight and then take face Fury.

In the press conference following his win, Fury made his intentions clear once again, admitting that he has no interest in fights with the next generation, Itauma included, and would chase a Usyk trilogy instead if the ‘AJ’ fight failed to materialise.

“I’m not interested in Daniel Dubois, I’m not interested in Moses [Itauma]. I’m not interested in all these guys.

“They are all great fighters and I wish them all the best of luck in the world but I want to fight Anthony Joshua, that is it. Or, if AJ don’t want it, then let’s get Usyk in the trilogy.”

Both Joshua and Fury are expected to fight twice during the second half of 2026, with their meeting potentially coming at the end of the year.

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Marc Guehi has Man City feeling ahead of Arsenal game – ‘so many’

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Manchester City defender Marc Guehi spoke about how the team are feeling ahead of their Premier League match with Arsenal

Marc Guehi knows a bit about arriving at the right time. The Chelsea academy graduate has built his reputation as a classy defender at Premier League and international level by making sure he is always on the scene to shut out attackers.

And he walked into the Etihad at the exact moment where Pep Guardiola needing him most, immediately settling a team that had lost Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to significant injuries and seen recalled youngster Max Alleyne hit the buffers. Guehi was colossal in a pivotal 2-1 comeback win at Anfield shortly after joining and has formed an excellent partnership with Abdukodir Khusanov that has seen clean sheets against Liverpool and Chelsea in the last two games.

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Guehi was unable to play in the Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal owing to competition rules, but the January signings of him and Antoine Semenyo have undoubtedly been critical in pushing Guardiola’s side into a position where they could yet add two more trophies this season. Beat Arsenal in a title decider next Sunday at the Etihad and the Blues will be three points off top spot with a game in hand and all of the momentum.

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They took advantage of Arsenal’s home defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend by winning 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, with Guehi turning finisher to score an excellent second goal in a performance that added to the feeling that City are building. The former Palace defender says the whole group have benefitted from their Wembley triumph last month, but also that the experience of City’s most decorated players is infectious for the squad as they look to hit their peak.

“In these moments it’s about stepping up, the players stepping up, the team stepping up and I said it last week, it’s about arriving at the right moment. A lot of us did that and there were good performances from the whole team,” he said.

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“Since I’ve come here, it’s been great. Every moment I’ve been here has been a blessing because I’m so grateful to learn off so many good players, so many winners and it’s important to take each game and each day as it comes.

“I think the trophy definitely gave us a lot of confidence. It doesn’t mater what trophy it is, it’s a trophy and it helps the football club so everyone is just focused on the next day, the next game and just try and be consistent as possible. I just want to play every game, it doesn’t matter when, where or what type of game. I’m just glad to be at this football club and to be given the opportunity to do so.”

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Villa confirmed for World Sevens London Tournament

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Aston Villa Women have confirmed they will take part in the upcoming World Sevens Football tournament in London.

They join Manchester United Women as the only teams announced so far, with six more clubs yet to be confirmed.

The tournament will run from May 28 to 30 at the Gtech Community Stadium and will feature a 7v7 format, with shorter matches played on a reduced pitch.

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A total of eight teams are expected to compete, with further announcements on participants and broadcast details still to come.

Speaking on the competition, Villa managing director Maggie Murphy said:

“We’re delighted to be part of the upcoming World Sevens Football competition.”

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“Innovative formats like this bring a different kind of energy to the game, and we’re excited to see how it unfolds.”

“It will be an engaging and fun experience – not only for the fans, but also for our players and staff.”

“It’s a great opportunity to be part of something a little different in the women’s game, and we’re looking forward to it.”

The competition will also include a $1.5 million prize pool, adding further attention to a format designed to bring a different style of play to the women’s game.

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Rayan Cherki breaks Premier League norm as Man City boost title hopes

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LONDON — Awaiting a corner from the left hand side, Manchester City might just have done what every player in the Premier League has learned from experience is the optimal approach for winning in 2026. Get the ball into the great mass of bodies around the six-yard box and see what happens. For most teams, it is just the shrewdest way to use that possession.

Most teams, though, are not blessed with Rayan Cherki. And so it was that the season of the set piece found a little room for some true No. 10 play of old. Rather than lobbed into the mixer, the ball went short, a give-and-go with Jeremy Doku that allowed Cherki to drive along the edge of the box. Jorrel Hato could lay a glove on his man, but not enough to slow Cherki’s progress. Estevao bought the shimmy as Abdoukodir Khusanov wisely concluded that it was best to give his teammate a clear runway.

Even after that, there was still an awful lot to do. Two blue shirts converged on Cherki but they left the slightest of gaps. The flick of the left boot was so diffident that Malo Gusto did not seem to compute what had happened until the ball was at the feet of Marc Guehi. City’s center back delivered the striker’s finish that the assist deserved.

This game might have ended as a procession, Jeremy Doku adding a third after Cherki had put it on a plate for Nico O’Reilly and Guehi, but it is worth considering how tight this contest was with 45 minutes played. Five shots to five, City were seeing the bulk of the ball without applying overwhelming pressure. Doku’s purposeful drives into the box were a threat, just as the speed of Chelsea’s counters were. As Guardiola told his team at halftime, someone needed to step up. This was a game in need of breaking open. 

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In the 2025-26, Premier League that usually means a set piece, a big cross onto a big bonce. And in a fashion, that is what changed this game for City. It’s just that Cherki didn’t have to wait for a dead ball. That has been the story of his season so far. A 22-year-old, in his first season in England, has found himself in a league that might be the most athletic and physical it has been in a generation. It seems uniquely well designed to brutalize even the most talented of young ingenues. And yet there can be no disputing that Cherki trails only Bruno Fernandes as the outstanding creative force of the season.

From open play, there’s a case to be made that he is in a class of his own. All 10 of his Premier League assists have been adjudged by Opta to have come when the ball is live — his second today breaking from a set piece when he dribbled by his first opponent — as opposed to half of Fernandes’ 16. His 0.46 expected assists per 90 leads the Premier League by a margin of well over 33%, and the overwhelming majority of it comes from open play. His 0.41 was a tally bettered only twice in the previous five seasons. Naturally, that was by Kevin De Bruyne.

It feels faintly sacrilegious to suggest that City might have found the heir to one of the greatest playmakers the English game has ever seen. Keep this up, though and someone is going to be hammering 95 theses against the walls of Manchester Cathedral.

“The numbers, incredible,” said Guardiola. “And the quality in the first season in the Premier League is something unique.”

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Having, in Guardiola’s view, spent too much of the first half too close to Gianluigi Donnarumma, he got into the positions where he could best exert himself on this contest.

“Play close to Haaland and the wingers, attacking midfielders, use the talent that Mum and Dad gave you,” was Guardiola’s message to Cherki. “If he starts to do that he will become an extraordinary player because of his mindset and mentality… He has to learn to do what you have to do for 95 minutes.

“Rayan has something special. The second goal, the pass for Marc Guehi, not even myself being outside, could see it. He’s a top, top, top talent.”

One who delivered the moment that the arc of the season bent towards Manchester City? It is too early to say. Even after Arsenal’s loss on Saturday, this team could still win every game left and miss out on goal difference. The bookmakers and prediction models will still tell you that it is the Gunners who should be counted as favorites. Even as they crawl to the finish line, they have a defense that is conceding less than a goal per Premier League game in 2026. Their fixture list after next week’s clash at the Etihad is more favorable too.

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What they don’t have, though, is Cherki, the sort of talent who can break a game open with a pass no one else can see. Or if they do, those players have seen the pitch too rarely of late. “Are you watching Arsenal,” came the cry from the away end at Stamford Bridge. Those that were would be entitled to have that sinking feeling.

He might be a newcomer to the Etihad Stadium but Cherki already has that feel of a true City player, one who shrugs the scale of the moment off with utter indifference. “I don’t feel pressure,” he said after ladelling so much of it on Arsenal for their visit next week. 

Cherki may not feel pressure but he creates it. At a time where the league seems to have zigged towards athleticism, size and set piece prowess, the most dangerous attacking force in the division might be an undersized, underpowered presser who can conjure something from nothing.

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NFL Draft prospect Rueben Bain cited in unreported 2024 deadly crash

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Rueben Bain Jr., a top-10 prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, was driving in a previously unreported March 2024 crash in which one of his passengers was hospitalized and pronounced dead three months later, according to a crash report and court records obtained by OutKick. 

The standout Miami edge rusher was cited at the scene by the Florida Highway Patrol for operating a motor vehicle in a “careless or negligent manner.” The charge was later dismissed because of a “defective citation,” after Bain Jr. entered a not guilty plea, according to court records. 

The crash report indicates that Bain Jr. did not show any impairment, and was not suspected of alcohol or drug use and that no tests were given at the time.

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Rueben Bain Jr during a Miami football game

Rueben Bain Jr. was driving in a previously unreported March 2024 crash in which one of his passengers was hospitalized and pronounced dead three months later, according to a crash report and court records obtained by OutKick.  ( CFP/Getty Images)

Three NFL teams told OutKick’s Armando Salguero over the weekend that they are aware of the crash, but no team would comment to what extent the incident would affect the first-team All-American defensive end’s status for the April 23-25 NFL Draft. 

The news of the first crash was first reported by Oliver Connolly.

OutKick has reached out to Bain Jr., the University of Miami and the Florida State Attorney’s office, but has yet to receive comment from  either. 

Rueben Bain Jr. involved in 2024 crash that resulted in the death of a female passenger.

Rueben Bain Jr of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (ustin Casterline/Getty Images)

The incident occurred March 17, 2024, when Bain Jr. was driving on South Florida’s Interstate 95 shortly after 4 a.m. and he hit another vehicle from behind. That collision sent Bain Jr.’s vehicle — a 2021 Land Rover registered to a corporation named Miami Sports 27 — into the concrete wall on the east side of the highway, and then careening all the way across the entire multi-lane highway and into the west side concrete wall, according to the crash report. 

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Miami Sports 27 is a non-profit company owned by Eric Dounn, an agent, who also works with LAA Management, that also has ties to a memorabilia store on Ebay.

To read the full crash report, click the link. 

The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched at 4:17 a.m. and once a trooper arrived at the scene, he found 22-year-old Destiny Betts, who was riding in a passenger seat without a seat belt, incapacitated, per the crash report. Betts was transported to Ryder Trauma Center by the Miami-Dade Fire Department. 

According to a GoFundMe setup by a family member, Betts lost consciousness as a result of the crash. A note on the crash report indicated that Betts was pronounced dead three months later, on June 13, 2024, by a Northshore Hospice nurse. 

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The report does not specify an official cause of death.

OutKick has reached out to the family attorney of Destiny Betts and received the following statement, which indicates they are not open to answering questions around the circumstances of the wreck and what happened in it’s aftermath. 

“As her family, we remain deeply committed to honoring her memory in a meaningful and appropriate way. Destiny’s passing was the result of a tragic accident that occurred several years ago. While the loss remains incredibly painful for our family, we have worked hard to find peace and move forward. At this time, we are not seeking public attention surrounding this tragedy and respectfully request that our family’s privacy be honored. We also wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career. Thank you for respecting our wishes during this difficult matter.”

Miami Hurricanes football players Nyjalik Kelly and Wesley Bissainthe and one other female passenger named LaDreama Roberts were also occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash. All three were listed as having possible injuries, but only the female passenger was taken to a hospital, according to the FHP report.

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OutKick reached out to all three, but has not received a response as of publication.

Both Bissainthe and Kelly, who finished his college career at UCF, are also eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft, although neither is expected to be drafted nearly as high as Bain. 

In addition to the crash in March 2024, court records show that Bain Jr. was issued a citation on Oct. 10, 2025, driving a 2025 Tesla Cybertruck, in which he was again cited for careless driving. The citation, shown below, lists a violation of Florida statute 316.1925(1), which is careless driving. 

OutKick has inquired about who the owner of the Tesla was, but has not yet received that information.

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Records state there was an “accident indicator” that came with the charge, meaning he was involved in a crash, which the citation states. That case was dismissed in February of this year, also because of a “defective citation.”

Rueben Bain Jr participates in Miami's Pro Day

Rueben Bain Jr. (4) of the Miami Hurricanes participates in the 2026 Miami Pro Day at Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility on March 23, 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida.  (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Bain would go on to finish the season with Miami as one of the best defensive players in college football, helping lead the Hurricanes’ to the CFP title game, where they lost to Indiana. 

The NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh next week. 

OutKick has reached out to the Florida Highway Patrol for comment on what led to the citations being dismissed. OutKick has also contacted the University of Miami for comment on whether it was aware of either incident. Neither has responded as of publication of this article.

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Melbourne Storm vs New Zealand Warriors Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Round 6 2026

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AAMI Park will play host to Saturday’s
Round 6 NRL game between Melbourne Storm and
New Zealand Warriors. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Storm vs.
New Zealand Warriors
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday April 11, 2026 at 7:35 pm

Where: AAMI Park

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

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Melbourne Storm vs New Zealand Warriors Odds

Melbourne Storm vs New Zealand Warriors Preview

Melbourne finds itself in unfamiliar territory, looking to avoid a fourth straight loss after a heavy defeat to Penrith. Historically, the Storm has dominated this matchup, winning 17 consecutive meetings against the Warriors — a record that looms large. New Zealand is also battling inconsistency, dropping consecutive games after a strong start. With key players returning, Melbourne will view this as the ideal opportunity to reset. Given their remarkable record in this fixture, the Storm should be strongly favoured to bounce back.

Melbourne Storm vs New Zealand Warriors Teams

Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Moses Leo 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Joe Chan 12. Cooper Clarke 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Davvy Moale 18. Lazarus Vaalepu 19. Manaia Waitere 20. Preston Conn 21. Hugo Peel 22. Trent Toelau

Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 4. Adam Pompey 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Tanah Boyd 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Jackson Ford 11. Leka Halasima 12. Jacob Laban 13. Erin Clark 14. Samuel Healey 15. Marata Niukore 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith 18. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava 20. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 21. Morgan Gannon 22. Luke Hanson 23. Ali Leiataua

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NHL Roundup: Islanders eliminated, Blue Jackets on brink

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WASHINGTON — Logan Thompson stopped 24 shots, and the Washington Capitals kept their slim playoff hopes alive by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0 Sunday in perhaps the final home of Alex Ovechkin’s brilliant career.

To reach the postseason, the Capitals must defeat Columbus in the season finale Tuesday night and hope Philadelphia fails to win either of its last two games.

The 40-year-old Ovechkin intends to wait until the offseason to decide whether to retire or return for a 22nd season. The all-time NHL leader in goals with 929, Ovechkin has played in every game this season and leads the Capitals in goals (32) and points (63).

The spirited, sellout crowd saluted Ovechkin during the game with chants of “One more year!” and “Ovi! Ovi! Ovi!”

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Ovechkin helped seal the victory by picking up an assist on an empty-net goal by Connor McMichael, who scored earlier in the third period.

NEW YORK — Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist to pass the 100-point mark for the season and Montreal beat the Islanders 4-1, eliminating New York from playoff contention.

Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook and Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal, which continues its push for home-ice advantage in the opening round and a potential Atlantic Division title. Jacob Fowler made 30 saves, and defenseman Lane Hutson added three assists.

Casey Cizikas scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots but the Islanders lost for the sixth time in their last seven games to be eliminated from post-season contention.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mark Kastelic scored with 9:38 remaining and Boston snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Columbus that moved them into the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot while virtually eliminating the Blue Jackets from playoff contention.

Sean Kuraly had a goal and two assists against his former team, and Henri Jokiharju had a goal and an assist for Boston. Kastelic also added an assist. Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves. James Hagens, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 draft, contributed an assist and a penalty in his NHL debut.

Mason Marchment and Adam Fantilli scored for Columbus, which has lost five of its last seven games to fall out of playoff contention after sitting as high as second place in the Metropolitan Division on March 24. Jet Greaves made 19 saves.

The Blue Jackets are two points behind idle Philadelphia and one point behind Washington with a game against the Capitals remaining.

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NEWARK, N.J. — Nico Hischier scored his second goal of the game on the power play with 1:45 left in overtime to give New Jersey a win over Ottawa.

The Devils trailed 3-2 after two periods, but Dawson Mercer scored a short-handed goal with 7:32 left in the third period to tie it at 3-3, setting the stage for Hischier’s winner.

Connor Brown also had a short-handed goal for the Devils and Nico Daws made 27 saves.

Michael Amadio, Shane Pinto on the power play, and Fabian Zetterlund all scored in a roughly seven-minute span of the second period for the Senators, who had their four-game win streak snapped.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Marco Rossi scored with 9.5 seconds left in overtime to help Vancouver beat Anaheim and prevent the Ducks from clinching a playoff spot.

Anaheim has 90 points and can secure a playoff spot with a win Tuesday at Minnesota.

Curtis Douglas, Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser each added a goal for Vancouver. The Canucks’ 56 points this season are the fewest in the NHL, 17 fewer than Calgary, the next closest. Nikita Tolopilo had 24 saves.

Cutter Gauthier scored two goals and Leo Carlsson added a goal for the Ducks. Gauthier has a career-high 40 goals this season. The 22-year-old is the fourth player in franchise history to score 40-plus goals in a single season.

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Rossi scored with a one-timer from the right circle that beat goaltender Lukas Dostal glove side to win it. Dostal finished with 22 saves.

CALGARY, Alberta — Brayden Pachal scored his first NHL goal of the season and added two assists as Calgary’s hot streak at home continued with a 4-1 victory over Utah.

Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund also scored for Calgary, which is 7-0-1 in its last eight games at home. Dustin Wolf made 28 saves.

Lawson Crouse scored for Utah, which holds the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a three-point lead on the Los Angeles Kings, who have a game in hand.

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Vitek Vanecek had 19 stops for Utah.

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NFL news: Mike Vrabel was never expected to be at Patriots’ pre-draft press conference

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was never scheduled to be at the team’s pre-draft press conference on Monday, a team spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital on Sunday.

Vrabel’s absence coincided with the scrutiny he’s received after he appeared in photos published in Page Six last week showing him and NFL reporter Dianna Russini being questionably close together.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaking to reporters at NFL annual meetings

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

However, the Patriots issued a notice to reporters in March that Vrabel wouldn’t be at the pre-draft press conference. ESPN reported that Vrabel isn’t expected to talk to reporters until the draft. Patriots executive Eliot Wolf will hold the pre-draft news conference at 2 p.m. ET on Monday.

The NFL is more than a week away from welcoming in the next crop of college football talent into the league. The Patriots have the No. 31 pick in the first round, which begins on April 23.

While The Athletic initially defended Russini, sources familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that the journalist was being investigated.

“After Page Six reached out to Dianna for comment on Tuesday, The Athletic immediately began an investigation. While the apparent conduct in the photos raised questions for Steven and leadership at The Athletic, an initial review suggested the images provided lacked context, specifically the presence of a larger group of friends,” a source said.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel standing at a podium during NFL meeting

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 31, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DEFENDS MIKE VRABEL, NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER OVER LEAKED PHOTOS

“New details from the Page Six report and information from the investigation raised additional concerns that are now being further reviewed. The investigation is ongoing.”

The source added Russini’s coverage is being reviewed, which is expected to take time, and she will not be reporting for the outlet in the meantime.

The New York Times declined to comment.

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The photos showed Vrabel and Russini holding hands and hugging on the roof of the Sedona resort.

Vrabel defended himself in a statement to Page Six.

Dianna Russini standing at the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco

Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

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“These photos show a completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response,” he said.

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Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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NWFL opens Pathway for new Clubs ahead of 2026 Season

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The Nigeria Women’s Football League has opened registration for the 2026 Nationwide division, offering clubs across the country a chance to enter the league system.

The Nationwide division, which serves as the third tier, remains open to new and existing teams looking to compete at a structured national level.

Registration payments begin today, April 13, and will run until June 30, with a fee of ₦550,000 set for participating clubs. Teams from the previous season may also be required to settle additional fees where applicable.

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The registration process will be completed in phases: the official portal will open on May 30 and close on July 10 ahead of the new season, which is expected to begin in August.

League officials say the entire process will be handled online to improve efficiency and accessibility for clubs nationwide.

The move continues efforts to expand participation and strengthen the development pathway within women’s football in Nigeria.

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